Salem PD promotes five officers

Receiving their new ranks last month were Sgt. Andy Connolly, Lt. Debra Aguilar, Cpl. Jeff Keniston, Sgt. Kevin Hill and Lt. Treven Upkes. They are shown left to right in the photo, flanked on the left by Deputy Chief Steve Bellshaw and Chief Jerry Moore and on the right by Deputy Chiefs Jim Ferraris and Skip Miller.

Cpl. Keniston began his career as a Salem Police Cadet then was hired as a Salem Police Community Service Officer in 1997. He was hired as a police officer by the Stayton Police Department in 1998. Keniston then was hired by the Salem Police Department in 2004 where he has worked on patrol and in the Youth Services Unit. He is also a Field Training Officer and Domestic Violence Response Team Officer and instructs recruit officers in the areas of criminal law and report writing. Cpl. Keniston has been working as the School Resource Officer assigned to Parrish and Walker Middle Schools, and will now be transferred to the Patrol Division.

Sgt. Connolly began his law enforcement career in 1995 as a deputy with the Pima County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona. He was hired by the Salem Police Department in 1999, was promoted to corporal in 2003, then served as sergeant from 2006-2008. Cpl. Connolly has worked in the Patrol Division, Youth Services Unit, and Personnel and Training Sergeant. He is also a Field Training Officer, Domestic Violence Response Team Officer, Drug Recognition Expert and Emergency Vehicle Operations Course instructor. Sgt Connolly will remain in the Patrol Division.

Sgt. Hill began his law enforcement career in 1992 as a reserve officer with the Hillsboro Police Department, and was hired as a police officer with the City of Keizer in 1995. He was hired by the Salem Police Department in 2003, and promoted to the rank of corporal in 2009. Sgt. Hill has worked in patrol and in the Street Crimes Unit. He was a SWAT team member, and is currently an instructor for Confrontational Simulations, Firearms and Taser. Sgt. Hill will remain in the Patrol Division.

Lt. Aguilar began her law enforcement career with the Oregon State Police as a cadet in 1997. She was hired by the Salem Police Department in 2000 and promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2011. Lt. Aguilar has worked in the Patrol Division, the Youth Services Unit, the Crime Prevention Unit, and most recently in the Administrative Support Unit. She served on the department Tactical Negotiations and Recruiting Teams, and she is an instructor in Confrontational Simulations and Defensive Tactics. Lt. Aguilar will transfer to the Patrol Division as a Patrol Shift Commander.

Lt. Upkes began his law enforcement career as an officer with the Sacramento Police Department in 2002, and was hired by the Salem Police Department in 2004. Lt. Upkes was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2011. In that time he has worked in the Patrol Division, the Criminal Investigations Division, and the Downtown Enforcement Team. He is also a member of the Mobile Response Team and is an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Instructor. He has also coordinated cellular phone communications for the department. Lt. Upkes will remain in the Patrol Division as a Patrol Shift Commander.